1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for cracking nuts, particularly nuts in the seamless shell such as macadamia nuts and separating them into edible kernels and woody shells.
2. Related Art
A conventional nutcracker is disclosed for instance in Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure No. 56-75089. FIG. 7 shows such a nutcracker as comprising as electrically driven conveyer 1 for transporting nuts, a hydraulic press comprising cylinders 2 and 3 with their piston blades 4 and 5 arranged in confronting relation, and different sensors 6 and 7. These piston blades 4 and 5 are designed to come close and separate apart from each other to crack nuts and remove their edible kernels and woody shells. The nutcracker uses hydraulic and electric control systems, and is automatized as much as possible. In operation the electrically driven conveyer 1 transports nuts to the cracking station where nuts are caught and cracked by the hydraulic piston blades 4 and 5. Different units of the cracking apparatus are responsive to signals from associated sensors as indicated at 6 and 7 to coordinate their operatoions. The structure of the cracking apparatus is complicated. The reciprocation operation of the hydraulic press, however, dose not permit continuous cracking, and therefore it cannot work with and increased efficiency.